avoidance by baking

I had high hopes for Sunday, I really did. Maybe some homemade pasta noodles? Maybe make a ham...but well, it didn't happen. This is mostly because 2 things consumed the weekend. The first was a trip to Charleston (!!) and the other was much less fun. Leaky pipes in the ceiling. ugh.

Early Sunday was consumed by me rocking back and forth on the couch in the fetal position trying to pretend there wasn't a problem. Once Tim has sliced the hole in the ceiling and created a mini fountain over the fireplace we were fairly committed. We spent the next several hours cleaning up drywall gunk and going back and forth to Lowes. Mind you, neither of us had showered and we were both covered in ceiling mess. People have looked better coming off all-night benders. It was ugly.

Anyway, at one point during the pipe surgery, I was done with home improvement land and decided it was time to bake banana bread. When the going gets tough, the tough...bake banana bread?

I assume Tim was much more grateful for my banana bread than for my sarcastic comments about calling the landlord and why being a grown-up was highly overrated. However, handy boys are extremely underrated. I can only imagine if I had been home alone during this little adventure. I figure the entire wall would have been ripped down in a fit of panic and diapers would be wrapped around the pipe with the leak (I struggle to not take action, even when it does more harm than good). I also have a strange fear of household mold, but that's another topic.

I like how calling a plumber never entered my mind. weird.

So, one good thing about today was the banana bread. It's easy, not overly sweet, has a great flavor, and freezes very well. I have lately taken to placing the baked goods I make in the freezer. Apparently I've convinced myself that they contain fewer calories when frozen.

I got the original recipe for this banana bread from the Orangette blog. I love her blog (and book), and I've never had one of her recipes turn out poorly. While I've made a few changes, for the most part it's the same recipe.

And while we're on the subject of bananas, this is my favorite internet video of all time.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9jry_i-am-a-banana-full-clip

Now that you're moderately disturbed that you know me, here's the recipe.

1.5 cups of pureed banana (I wait till they turn dark and then freeze them so they're always handy)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 stick unsalted butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp distilled white vinegar
1 ½ Tbsp. dark rum
½ cup shredded coconut
2 1/2 Tbsp. demerara or dark brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a standard-size loaf pan.

In a blender or food processor, purée the bananas. Measure out 1 ½ cups of purée & set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl (I use a stand mixer), beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vinegar and rum, and beat to mix well. Add the banana purée and the flour mixture alternately, about 1 cup at a time, beginning with the banana and beating to just incorporate. Add in the coconut with a spatula.

Scrape the batter – it will be thick – into the prepared pan. Smooth the top, and sprinkle evenly with the demerara sugar. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes; then turn the loaf out of the pan and allow it to cool completely.

I have no photos of the bread and I don't think anyone reading this really wants or needs a photo of the hole in our ceiling. I'll do better next time. Promise.